Power-operated door-closure mechanism



Dec- 1, 1925- c. c. TOMKINSON POWEROPERATED DOOR CLOSURE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 28, 1923 INVENTOR (War/e5 (T 75mA7/v0iz ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED CHARLES c. Toimmson, or rnarnrrnrin, New anesnv, assrenon TO WARD oennn, or MOUNTAINVILLE, new YORK.

1,563,456 PATENT orrics'.

JOHN ED- POWER-OPERATED DOOBr-GLQSURE MECHANISM,

Application filed December 28, 1823.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crmnnns C. TOMKIN- son, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plainlield, county of Union, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power- Operated Door-Closure Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to door operating mechanism and .is particularly adapted for elevator hatchway doors.

The invention has been worked out in connection with sectional doors normally biased or over-counter-balanced to open when the latch is released.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide power actuated door closure mechanism having manual control means for starting the mechanism in operation and means for automatically discontinuing the operation of the mechanism when the doors l ave been closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide power actuated door closure mechanism with means for insuring the closing of the doors in case of fire.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the character described and control means therefor that is simple in construction, comprises few parts and can be installed in the limited space availal'ile for such a structure.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an ele \ator hatchway showing hatchway doors, door opening mechanism and control means for the door opening mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. is a sectional elevation more or less diagrammatic, illustrating a plurality of .hatchway doors and closure and control means therefor, and

4 is a sectional elevation, illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

The invention briefly described consists of power operated mechanism for closing any one of or a plurality of hatchway doors, manual control means for setting this mechai'iism'in operation and means for automatically ,d'i. :Ontiinu'ing; the operation of Serial No. 683,140.

however, a second switch is closed and remains closed until the hoisting mechanism returns to its initial position whereupon the switch is opened and the motor is stopped. Means has also been provided for insuring the closing of the doors incase of fire. Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated an elevator hatchway having side walls 10 and 11 and a front wall 12 having, hatchway openings 13 therein providing access to the elevator car.

A plurality of sets of vertically movable ha-tchway doors are mounted on the front wall 12 of the hatchway and in the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, a pair of doors 1.5 and 16 is provided for each floor level. In Fig. 3, three sets of doors A, B and C are shown, but it will be understood that as many sets will be provided as there are floors in the building.

Each of the door sections has side flanges 17 which are mounted in guideways 18 secured to the wall 12 of the hatchway.

In the particular form of the invention shown, the lower door section 16 is made heavier than the normal or effective weight of the upper section. Actually the upper section is heavier than the lower section but each upper section is partially counterbalanced by a weight 6 connected to the section by a cable 7. A fusible link 8 is connected in each cable 7 and in case of fire this link melts, the Weight is disconnected from the door section and the door sections close. due to the greater weight of the upper section.

Each lower section has secured thereto adjacent the upper end thereof laterally extending arms 19 having rods extending" therethrough and the rods 20 have nuts 21 at the lower ends thereof. The upper ends ,of the rods 20 are connected to lugs 22 secured to the upper sections 15 adjacent the lower ends thereof by cables 23 which pass over sheaves 2% mounted in brackets 25 secured to the wall 12 of the hatchway. In view of this connection between the lower sections and the upper sections and of the fact that the lower sections are heavier than the counter-weighted upper sections, it will be obvious that when these sections are free to move, they will move to open position as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to retain the sections in closed position, a latch 26 is pivoted at 27 to each lower section 16. A spring 28 tends to move the latch in an anticlockwise direction, this movement being limited by a stop 29. The door section 15 has a lug or pin adapted to be engaged by the latch when the door sections are closed as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.. It will thus be seen that as the door sections are moved the power actuated mechanism hereinafter described to closed position, the latch 26 will automatically engage the pin 30 and. hold the doors in closed position until the latcl is released.

The door closure mechanism will now be described. This mechanism is actuated by means of an electric motor 35. The motor shaft 36 has a worm 37 secured thereto, which meshes with the worm wheel a. ried by a jack shaft 39. The shaft has mounted on its opposite end a worm +10 which in turn meshes with a worm wheel ll mounted on a shaft 42. A crank arm 43 is secured to the shaft -l-2 and in the particular embodiment of the invention shown this arm operates the hoisting cables which are connected to close the doors. All of the mechanism just described may, if desired, be mounted in the penthouse of the building.

The crank arm 48 has secured thereto a pair of cables 4.5 and 4:6. Both of these cables pass around a sheave l7 and the cable 46 is connected to a rod 50 which extends longitudinally through the elevator hatchway. The cable 4&5 passes around another sheave 51 and is secured to a rod 52 which also extends longitudinally through the elevator hatchway.

The rods 50 and 52 have adjustably mounted thereon stops 53, 55 which are so adjusted as to engage the arms 19 and raise the lower door sections 16 a sufiicient extent to fully close the door.

The control mechanism for the motor and hoisting means will now be describec. The main line from which the current for the motor 35 is obtained is indicated at and 61. The lead 60 has connected thereto a wire 62 which extends downwardly through the hatchway. A switch 63 is mounted in the elevator hatchway adjacent each door opening so as to be accessible and this switch is adapted to close the circuit i-etween the wire 61 and a wire (Bl, contacts 65 and 66 being provided in these two wires. The wire 6 1 is connected to the positive si le of the motor and, therefore, when tie switch 63 is closed, the motor will be operat ed and the hoisting mechanism will be set in operation. The switch 63 is normally held in open position by a spring (37 and as soon as the switch is released by the operator it will immediately return to its normal open position. In addition to providing means for F"tl;ll the hoisting mechanism in operatior, ..re

is also provided means for continuing the operation of this mechanism until after the doors have been closed and thercai'ter aular matically discontinuing the operation there of. This means consists of a switch tit) adapted to engage contacts 81 and 82 secured to wires 83 and 8st. The wire 83 connected at to the wire 62 and the wire 8- is connected at 85 to the wire 62 and the wire 8% is connected at 86 to the wire? 64-. Therefore, when the switch 1S closed,

the circuit will be closed through the motor and the motor will operate. The switch S0 is, however, normally held open against the tension of a spring 87 by a lug carried by the crank arm 43 and. engaging the switch. hen, however, the motor has been set in operation by closing one oi? the switches 63 and the crank arm leaves its initial position and starts to close the doors, the lug 88 will release the switch, which in turn will then be closed by the spring 8}, which switch will continue to maintain the motor circuit closed until the arm 4L turns to its initial position. It should be noted that the arm 43 moves in a clockwise direction through a complete circle or through 360 degrees and because of this, the rods 50 and 52 after moving the doors to closed position return to their initial position shown in l and are, therefore, in position to again close the doors.

If desired, the manually operable switch may be mounted in the elevator cage 90 as shown at 91 in Fig. 3.

The operation of the mechanism may be briefly described as follows. To open a door, the latch 26 is released whereupon the door will open since the weight of the lower section plus the counterbalancing efiect of the counterweight 6 is greater than the weight of the upper section. When the operator desires to close the hatchway doors and this includes any of the doors that are open, the manually controlled switch 63 at one of the floor levels or the switch 91 in the elevator cage will be closed. Upon its release, this switch will return to its open position. As soon, however, as the switch has been closed, the motor 35 will be started,

thereby operating the crank arm 43 and commencing the hoisting operation. As soon as the crank arm 43 starts its hoisting movement, the lug 88 will release the switch 80 which will be closed by the spring 87. The switch 91 or 63 will be held closed until switch 80 has been released by lug 88 and will then be released, to be opened by the spring. The motor-35 will, therefore, continue in o-peration'until the arm 5E3 again returns to its initial position whereupon the switch 80 will be opened and the motor will be stopped.

In case of fire, the fusible links 8 in the cables 7 will melt and release the weights 6. The upper door sections will then be heavier than the lower sections and the door will, therefore, be closed by gravity.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated another method of counterweighting the door sections in a .manner to make the normal weight of the upper section less than the normal weight of the lower section. In this construction, the door 15 is made heavier thanthe door 16 as in the former case and a counterweight -92 mounted on vertical guides 93 secured in the hatchway is connected by fusible links 94 to the lower door section 16. The counterweight 92 is so proportioned as to make'the normal weight of the lower section greater than the weight of the upper s'ection, but to reverse the weight proportions when the fusible links 94: are melted in case of the Therefore, when the weight 92 is detached from the lower section, the upper section will be heavier than the lower section andthe doors will, therefore, close automatically.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention'is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the followingclaims.

llhat I claim is: I

1. In combination, an elevator hatchway door comprising a plurality of sections biased to open, a latch for holding said sections closed, power actuated mechanism for closing said doors, control means for setting said mechanism in operation and automatic means for discontinuing the operation of said mechanism after the doors are closed and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

2. In combination, an elevator hatchway door comprising a plurality of sections biased to open, a latch for holding said sections closed, power actuated mechanism for closing said doors, manually operable control means for setting said mechanism in operation and automatic means for discontinuing the operation of said mechanism after the doors are closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

3. In combination, a plurality of sets" of sectional hatchway doors, biased to open, latches for holding the sections of eaclr'set closed, power actuated mechanism for closing said doors including means extending longitudinally in the elevator shaft and engageable with the doors in open position, control means for setting said mechanism in operation and means for automatically discontinuing the operation of said mechanism after the doors are closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

at. In combination, a plurality of sets of sectional hatchway doors, biased to open, latches for holding the sections of each set closed, electrically operated mechanism for closing said doors including means exten ling longitudinally in the elevator shaft and engageable with the doors in open position, switch control means for "iiig can. mechanism in operation and met. for automatically discontinuing the operation of said mechanism after the doors are closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

In combination, a plurality of sets of sectional hatchway doors biased to open, latches for holding the sections of each closed, power actuated mechanism for clcsing said doors including means extendi longitudinally in the elevator sha it and engageable with the doors in open position, control means for s'tting said mechanism in operation and means for auton'iatically discontinuing the operation of said mechanism after the doors are closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been re turned to its initial position.

6. In combination, a hat-chway door prising a pair of vertically movable sections, biased to open, a latch for holding said sections closed, means engageable with the lower section for closing the door, a flex ible member connected to said means, an electric motor, a crank operated thereby and connected to said flexible member, a manually operable switch for controlling said motor and setting the motor and crank in operation and means controlled by said crank for discontinuing the operation of the motor and crank after the door sections have been moved to closed position and when said crank has completed its operative movement.

7. In combination, a hatchway door comprising a pair of vertically movable sections, biased to open, a latch for holding said sections closed, means engageable with the lower section for closing the door, a flexible member connected to said means,

an electric motor, hoisting means operator thereby and connected to said flexible memher, a manually operable switch for controlling said motor and setting the motor and hoisting means in operation and means controlled by said hoisting means for discontinuing the operation of the motor and hoisting means after the door sections have been moved to closed position and when said door closing means has completed its operative n'iovement.

8. In combination, a hatchway door (JG-11L prising a pair o't vertically movable sec tions biased to open, hoisting mechanism for closing the door, power actuated means for operating said hoisting mechanism, manually operable control means for setting said power actuated means in operation and means engageaolc by the hoisti mechanism for discontinuing the operation of the power actuated means and hoisting mechanism after the door is closed and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position 9. In combination, a door biased to open, power actuated means for moving the door to closed position, manual control means for said power actuated means and means for automatically discontinuing the operation of said door moving means after the door has been closed, and when said door closing means has been returned to its initial position.

10. In combination, an elevator hatchway door comprising aplurality of sections biased to open, power actuated mechanism for closing said doors, control means for setting said mechanism in operation and automatic means for discontinuing the operation of said mechanism after the doors are closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

11.111 combination, a' door, motor operated means including a crank and flexible connections between the crank and the door for moving the door to closed position, manual control means for said motor operated means and means for automatically discontinuing the operation of said door moving means after the door has been closed and said crank has completed its operative movement and when said door closing means has been returned to its initial position.

12. In combination, a door, motor oper ated mechanism including a crank and flexible connections between the crank and door for closing the door, a manually controlled switch for closing the motor circuit and setting the mechanism in operation and means controlled by said mechanism for discontinuing the operation thereot after the door has been closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

13. In combination, a door, motor operated mechanism for closing the door, said mechanism including a crank arm and means connecting the crank arm to the door, a manually controlled, normally open switch tor closing the motor circuit and setting the mechanism in operation and means controlled by said crank arm for discontinuing the operation thereof after the door has been closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

14:. In combination, a door motor operated mechanism including a revoluble member for closing the door, a manually con.- trolled, spring retracted switch for closing the motor circuit and setting the mechanism in operation and means controlled by said revoluble member and engageable thereby tor discontinuing the operation thereof after the door has been closed and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

15. In combination, a vertically movable door, motor operated mechanism including a crank for closing the door, a manually controlled switch for closing the motor circuit and setting the mechanism in operation and means controlled by said crank for discontinuing the operation thereof after the door has been closed, and when said door closing mechanism has been returned to its initial position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of December, 1923.

CHARLES C. TOMKINSON. 

